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China is major contributor to world food security: minister

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-05 16:23

Farmers harvest rice in a rice field in Qionghai, Hainan province on June 5, 2008.  [Xinhua]

China is a major contributor to world food security by feeding nearly a quarter of the global population and involving in aid to other countries, China's agriculture minister said on Tuesday.

"China has managed to feed 1.3 billion people, mostly relying on domestic production, which in itself is a major contribution to the world food security," Agriculture Minister Sun Zhengcai told a world summit on food security hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The three-day summit, which kicked off Tuesday, was called at a time when the world is experiencing a dramatic increase in food prices.

Sun said besides the success of feeding almost a quarter of the world population, China is also committed to contributing to the development of the world food and agriculture.

"China actively makes contributions and donations, within the limits of its capacity, to international food and agriculture agencies and provides food assistance to countries in food emergencies," he said.

"On the other hand, China is taking advantage of its agricultural expertise such as hybrid rice to assist other developing countries to increase agriculture and food production," the minister added.

China has established or is establishing over 20 demonstration centers of agriculture technology in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and has dispatched nearly 1,000 agricultural experts and technicians to other developing countries to train locals, according to the Chinese official.

China will continue to strengthen the exchange and cooperation with other countries in the field of food and agriculture, he said.